1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser-container containing wet tissues impregnated with liquid in a container. The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing the dispenser-containers and an apparatus for manufacturing the dispenser-containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, wet tissues, i.e., fibrous materials, such as non-woven fabrics, woven fabrics, or gauze, impregnated with toilet water or cleaning solution including alcohol, moisturing agent or surfactant and so on, have been utilized widely for cleansing make-up, cleaning skin or wiping stains in a kitchen, for example, stains around a gas range or stains in a refrigerator.
Conventionally known dispenser-containers for wet tissues are of a pop-up type, wherein wet tissues wound in a roll are packed in cylindrical containers which can be repeatedly open and sealed, and the wet tissues are picked up from the upper portions of the cylindrical containers. (For Example, see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 48-33587.)
The rolled wet tissues are prepared by winding a long sheet-like material keeping its original width. The sheet-like material for wet tissues has a plurality of perforated lines extending transversely between both the longitudinal sides thereof and formed equidistantly along the longitudinal direction thereof. Upon use, if an end of the tissue material is pulled straightly and upwardly, the tissue material is torn at the perforated line when the portion with a perforated line passes through an aperture formed at the center of the closure of the container, and the tissue material is separated along the perforated line in individual tissues.
In the conventional container of a pop-up type, the wet tissue roll has to be stored in a condition wherein the roll axis is vertically directed i.e., the roll axis is parallel to that of the cylindrical container, since the tissue material has to be taken up in an axial direction of the roll. Consequently, the height of the container is higher than the width of the roll. If the amount of tissues contained in the container is desired to be increased, it is the only solution to increase the diameter of the container.
As described above, in the conventional pop-up type container for wet tissues, the size of the container is limited by the width of the wet tissues. More specifically, the height of the container cannot be lower than the width of the wet tissues. Further, the amount of tissues cannot be increased even if the height of the container is made higher than the width of the wet tissues. In other words, the size of wet tissues to be contained in a container is limited by the size of the container.
In addition, in the above-described conventional pop-up type container, several turns of wet tissues closely adhere each other at the last end of the rolled tissue material, so that they are pulled upwardly in one body. Accordingly, there is another problem that tissues at the last end of the roll cannot pass well through the aperture and that they are torn inadequately.
Apart from the above-described dispenser-container of a cylindrical type, dispenser-containers for wet tissues for portable use have also been conventionally known. (For example, see Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Sho 59-2696.)
The conventionally known dispenser-container of wet tissues for portable use is a flat bag which usually contains about 10 tissues. The dispenser-container has an opening and a resealable flap for covering the opening. For example, the resealable flap may be made of a sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive coated on one side thereof, and the sheet is attached to the dispenser-container so that it covers the opening formed on the dispenser-container.
Another dispenser-container of a flat bag type has a U-shaped slit formed thereon, and the region surrounded by the slit is used as a flap while a small piece of sheet, which piece is larger than the flap, which piece has pressure sensitive adhesive coated thereon and which piece has an opening for dispensing the wet tissues therethrough, is attached to the portion corresponding to the above-described slit from the inside of the dispenser-container by the pressure sensitive adhesive.
Such a dispenser-container of a flat bag type contains wet tissues, which are separated n individual pieces, and accordingly, after one tissue is dispensed, the flap is closed until the next dispensing operation wherein the flap is opened again and the top one of tissues is dispensed.
The above-described dispenser-containers of a bag type for wet tissues can be manufactured at a cost lower than that required for the molded containers, because the dispenser-containers can be easily made of a flexible sheet material at a high manufacturing efficiency.
In such a dispenser-container, wet tissues separated in individual pieces are individually folded transversely and longitudinally in accordance with the size of the dispenser-container. Therefore, when large tissues are required to be contained in a small dispenser-container, the tissues have to be folded transversely and longitudinally for many times. However, when the folding process is complicated, the process cannot be done by a machine, and accordingly, the manufacturing efficiency is low. Thus, the size of tissues to be contained in a dispenser-container is similarly limited by the size of the dispenser-container.
Furthermore, in a conventional portable dispenser-container for wet tissues, there is another problem that the tissue located just below the uppermost tissue is picked up together with the uppermost tissue when the latter is required to be picked up.
In addition, since the wet tissues, which are in a wet condition, are folded transversely and longitudinally to form small pieces, they have to be spread in the transverse and longitudinal directions after they are taken out from the dispenser-container and before they are used. However, folded portions in the wet tissues which are in surface contact adhere to each other, and accordingly, it is difficult and troublesome to spread such adhering portions.